Online Gaming and Kids

Online Gaming and Kids

Online gaming is, first and foremost, fun. It can be a highly sociable way for your kids to spend their leisure time, it also helps to develop their teamwork skills and encourages interaction. Most of online gaming is positive and beneficial to your children.

However, as with any foray into cyberspace, there are a few things to be aware of. In this blog we look at how you can give the best fun experience to your child and also keep them safe, without straying into areas that could be a little dangerous.

Keeping Kids’ Online Gaming Fun

In the past, before television became vogue, families would sit together and play board games, they would interact as a unit, have fun and mostly laugh together. It is no different with online gaming in a way, there is nothing quite like sitting down with the kids and joining in on their fun.

Tips for Keeping Your Kids Safe

Keep up with what types of games your children are into, make sure the games are appropriate for their age; not what they are labeled as, but what you consider appropriate for your particular child. In the world of cyberspace, you do not really know who you are talking to, some online groups are stricter and require detailed information about the players, but others are not. This means your child could come across offensive language or even bullying.

Your child should only give out their personal details if it is safe to do so, obviously acquaintances and school friends are fine. Watch out for games that require your child to purchase extra items, this can lead to running up of large debts. And finally, watch out for griefing, this is an online version of bullying and is a common tactic for some players to gain an advantage.

How to Get the Most Fun out of Gaming

Find out what games your kids are into, do they prefer sports games or role-play or perhaps they are into strategy type games or first person shooters?

Talk to your children, see who they play with online, listen in on a live chat and see what language is being used. Most reputable gaming sites have rules and regulations to keep to and ways of reporting abusive language. Go through the procedure of how to report cases like that with your child.

If you set the tablet or mobile device into airplane mode, they cannot make any accidental purchases. Also, make sure that you and your child agree what kind of games they can play, let the whole family buy into this and see the benefits.

Before allowing your kid to play any game for the first time, make sure you read the parental guide fully. Then play the game with your kid so both of you are happy with the content and format. These simple guidelines can help your child get the most out of their online gaming. They will also give you peace of mind that your child is not getting any abuse or trouble. This way everybody gets to enjoy a great pastime which is online gaming.